


The Barbara Stanwyck Thing

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-08
Updated: 2014-10-08
Packaged: 2018-02-20 08:19:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2421692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loving her, hating her, emulating her, and wondering just what was going through her head…Mary Kate feared she would never make sense of the woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Barbara Stanwyck Thing

**Author's Note:**

> I've always had [Bree Williamson](http://s11.allstarpics.net/images/orig/8/6/86tyrgahw1ixagwt.jpg) in mind when I write about MK. Most of the time with original characters I don’t have anyone in mind but that actress is exactly how I imagine the character to be.

Dave was surprised when Mudgie came to him, barking happily. It had been awhile since his dog greeted him at the door. Dave had lost his retriever some time ago to Erin but as losses go it was one he could live with.

“Hey Mudge.” He petted the dog’s giant head. “What are you doing out here? Where’s Mommy?”

Mudgie barked again, wagging his tail. Raising an eyebrow, Dave just followed him into the den.

“Erin? Baby, are you home? Babe?”

“Good evening, Agent Rossi.”

Dave froze for a moment and then chastised himself for freaking out. His home was secure; no one was getting in there without alerting the whole neighborhood and the police. And if they were lucky enough to sneak through, Mudgie would probably eat them. The voice was familiar; one he definitely didn’t feel like hearing. But there it was live and in living color. He turned and put on his best smile, which was pretty good considering.

“Hello, Mary Katherine. Um, I wasn’t expecting…”

“I'm sure you weren't.”

She wore a small smile, which Dave thought might be rare for her. The truth of the matter was that Mary Katherine Strauss was beautiful. With her long blonde locks and thunderous blue eyes, she was the spitting image of her mother at that age. And Dave would know because he and Erin were intimately acquainted then. There was something different under Mary Katherine’s skin though.

With Erin it had been determination, brilliance, wonder, and a little bit of badass. With her daughter it just seemed to be anger and darkness. It permeated through every pore, poisoning her nearly flawless beauty. Mary Kate wasn’t a sociopath but Dave wouldn’t gasp in shock if he found out she was a femme fatale. She was like a low rent Barbara Stanwyck. Her mother could pull off her Barbara Stanwyck with aplomb. MK was still in the process of trying to pull off her mother.

“Where’s your mother?” he asked, still wondering what was going on. He knew the middle Strauss child didn’t have a key to his house. Ted did, of course, and so did Nora. Mary Kate never asked for one…it wasn’t as if she visited often.

“She said she’d be home in about a half hour or so. There was paperwork to finish.” MK sat down on the couch, one foot under her. “I'm sure you're used to hearing that.”

“What?”

“Mom saying she’ll be home and letting work keep her quite late.”

“Actually I work late as well so it’s never been a point of contention with us.” Dave replied. _And even if it was_ , he thought, _you'd be the last to know_. “We've known each other for some time now; I think it’s OK if you call me Dave. Agent Rossi is a bit too formal for me.”

“Well…OK, I guess. I don’t mind being formal though.”

“I do, really. What are you doing in town, Mary Kate?”

“I just wanted to spend some time with my mother. Things have been crazy in my universe lately and we haven’t had more than sporadic phone calls for months. I wanted to rectify that.”

“That’s good of you.” Dave hoped his sarcasm wasn’t obvious. He was trying but couldn’t help it with Mary Kate. Saying she started it, which she had, didn’t justify it.

“I think it'll be good for both of us. At least I hope it will be. Do you have a problem with my staying here? I can always just stay with my dad and visit in the evenings.”

 _You're nuts if you think the new Mrs. Strauss wants you around_ , Dave thought as he maintained his neutral face. _It’s either here or the Holiday Inn, kid_.

“Your mother and I share this house. All of her family is mine too, even the overly formal members.”

“Thank you, Agent…Dave.”

“It’s not a problem.”

He walked over to the mini-bar as Mudgie broke out in a run for the door. That could only mean that Erin was home.

“Is he always this excitable?” MK asked. “I had to fight him off when I came in.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty much always like that. Luckily he knew you; he’s fiercely protective of his home. Would you like a drink?”

“Oh yeah.” she exhaled. “I’ll take a Jack and Coke if you have it.”

“I have it.”

“Good evening.” Erin walked into the den doing her best to smile. It had been a long, hellacious day and she drove home slowly. All she could think about was the landmine she might be walking into. How could she have forgotten to tell Dave what was waiting for him?

“Hi Mom.” MK didn’t quite make a smile but sounded pleasant enough.

“Hey baby.”

Dave smiled, handing MK her drink and opening his arms. Erin walked right into them, holding on for dear life.

“Tell me what you need.” He whispered as his lips teased her hairline.

MK looked over at them, holding back her gasp. Her parents were married for most of her life but she rarely saw that kind of intimacy between them. She always thought that was why she was no good at relationships. Seeing the way Dave and her mother held each other now showed that Erin didn’t have as many tenderness issues as MK assumed she did in the past.

The affection between them, the heat, was almost enough to warm her to the bone. She thought of making a cute joke but knew it was a bad idea. Considering where they were all coming from someone was bound to take it the wrong way. Things were OK right now, if slightly awkward; there was no need to inadvertently make trouble.

“Hot bath,” Erin moaned into his dress shirt. “Chilled wine…”

“Massage oil?”

“Ohhh yeah.”

“You got it, baby.” Dave tilted her chin upward and kissed her. “Anything you need, you got it.”

“How did I get so lucky?” she caressed his face.

“I like to think that the luck was distributed equally.” He kissed her nose. “Sit down and relax. I’ll take care of things.”

Erin smiled, making her way over to the couch. She knew how tired she was because all she managed to do was slide out of her pumps before flopping down. Erin Strauss had never been a flopper in her life. She gave her daughter a tired smile but any attempt at conversation was momentarily halted by Mudgie jumping between them. MK let out a little scream as he pushed her out of the way with his butt, putting his head in Erin’s lap.

“Hello, sweet puppy.” She scratched behind his ears.

“Puppy?” MK raised her eyebrow. “This dog is ginormous, Mom.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t big, but he's such a sweetheart. He’s also a bit gregarious, aren’t you Mudgie?”

Mudgie growled happily in his throat as if he knew he was being praised.

“Go on and pet him, MK. He doesn’t bite.”

“That’s OK.” She replied.

“Studies show that having a pet, such as a dog or a cat, can lower blood pressure, stress levels, risk of stroke, and the onset of dementia. It was in the _New England Journal of Medicine_. I'm not at all opposed to extending my healthy life.”

“I never thought I would see the day when my mother was a dog person.” MK said with a smirk. “We begged for pets growing up but you and Daddy always said no.”

“Your father is allergic to their saliva.” Erin said. “If you doubt me, you can ask him.”

MK was about to say something when Dave came back from the kitchen. He had a glass of wine for Erin and a small bowl of fruit salad. She took it with a smile. An involuntary response, Erin tilted up and they shared a sweet kiss.

“I'm gonna run your bath.”

“I owe you one.” She replied.

“I’ll think about payback as I get to work.”

“I just bet you will.”

“Child in the room.” MK covered her ears.

“I'm sorry.” Dave smiled. “Can you tell we’re not used to company?”

“Or there's your brother, who just makes faces at us.”

MK waited until Dave left the room to resume the conversation. She looked at her mother, sipping her Riesling and sharing a little strawberry with the dog. She hardly knew what to say to her. This Erin didn't seem like the woman she’d lived with for all those years. Loving her, hating her, emulating her, and wondering just what was going through her head…Mary Kate feared she would never make sense of the woman.

“What?” Erin asked, looking at her daughter with the same eyes.

“I'm glad I came to see you, though it seems you're tired tonight.”

“I'm always tired, sweetheart; it’s a hazard of the job. I took tomorrow off so we could spend some time together.”

“Mom, you didn’t have to…”

“You didn’t come all the way from New Orleans to see me beat up in the evenings. How long can you stay?”

“I have a plane out on Tuesday afternoon. I thought I’d spend at least one day with Daddy so that gives us Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I don’t want to cramp Dave’s style. Maybe he had plans for the weekend; I don’t want to be a monkey wrench.”

“Not that I know of.” Erin replied. “You're not cramping his style, MK, you're my daughter. We’re both glad you came into town. I hope you don’t mind that I'm not going to be much good tonight though.”

“It’s fine. I had a crazy morning and then a long flight in. It would probably just be better if I called it a night too. Where can I sleep?”

“Ted’s room is in the back.” Erin said. “Make sure you close the door completely if you're not in the mood for canine company. We have an open door policy around here for the most part…if its open Mudgie can come in. Plus, he’s used to Ted being back there.”

“You really care about this dog, don’t you?” MK asked, bewilderment in her voice.

“It’s hard to spend time with him and not. Anyway, I love David so by proxy I love his dog. Mudgie is a member of the family. Maybe over this long weekend you can get to know him too. He really is a sweetheart.”

Mudgie looked at her with big brown eyes as if to prove Erin’s point. MK gave a little smile. She stood up from the couch, went over to the mini-bar, and poured herself another Jack and Coke.

“I'm gonna get some rest, Mom. Thanks for taking some time for me tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to make it sound so formal, MK; you’re my daughter. If you need my time, then you have it. I know we've had our share of problems in the past but I want to be there for you. I love you.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I love you too, Mom. Goodnight.”

She leaned to kiss her mother’s cheek and then walked down the hall to Ted’s room. She nearly mowed down Dave coming out of his bedroom. She mumbled an apology and kept walking. Dave looked after her for a moment before going back to the den. Erin was still on the couch; she looked tired. It wasn’t often that she looked tired even when she was. He moved the now empty bowl aside and wondered how much fruit she ate and how much the dog begged for.

“C'mon baby, your hot bath awaits.” He held out both his hands, pulling her up and into his arms.

“With rosewater and dahlia petals?” she asked, surrendering to his embrace. Damn, there were times when Erin didn’t know how she lived without it for so long.

“Oh yes, Miss Scarlett.” Dave put on his best Southern accent, which made her laugh.

They walked back into the bedroom with their arms around each other and Mudgie pulling up the rear.

***

“I'm just making sure you didn’t drown.” Dave poked his head into the master bathroom.

Erin removed the warm, wet cloth from over her eyes and looked at him. Mudgie sat up and did the same. He was resting on the bathroom rug watching over her.

“I'm OK. The water is just starting to reach lukewarm; it'll be over in fifteen minutes or so. This felt amazing.”

“Did you need anything else, baby?”

“I could use another glass of wine...just a half glass.”

“You got it.” Dave smiled.

“Oh, and I really, really need another kiss.”

He walked into the bathroom, looking relaxed in blue sweatpants and a Marines tee shirt. Dave bent over the tub and kissed her once. He liked it so much he did it again, and again and then again. The smile that spread across Erin’s face was relaxed and beautiful.

“That hit the spot.”

“You had a bad day, huh?”

“Its over; we don’t need to talk about it. Are you gonna walk the dog?”

“I probably should. You’ll be ready for bed when I get back?”

“I’ll be in bed when you get back. Ready for bed, mmm, we’ll see Agent Rossi.”

Dave smiled, as he whistled for Mudgie. The dog looked at Erin, she nodded, and he left with his master. Dave was sure the odds were low on him getting any tonight. Erin still got nervous with Ted in the house…she would be downright frigid where MK was concerned.

But it wasn’t that big of a deal. He just wanted to hold her and make the bad day a distant memory. He was also curious as to why Mary Kate had shown up out of the blue. It might have only been the blue to Dave though, so the faster he knew what was going on the better.

***

“I'm sorry David.”

“What are you apologizing for?” Dave asked.

They were in bed now and there was nothing to be sorry about. Erin had her hot bath and her wine. Then Dave rubbed her down with vanilla ginger massage oil, making it a wonderful experience for the both of them. Erin almost forgot that her daughter was there…it was only later she cringed at the idea that MK may have heard them.

After that fun, she dressed in her favorite purple satin pajamas, finished her wine, had a cigarette, and got into bed. She was so tired that Erin didn’t even engage in her usual nightly rituals. One night wouldn’t hurt; she just didn’t have the energy. Dave came to bed naked, which suited her just fine. He said he loved the way the satin felt on his bare skin.

“I'm sorry for the ambush.” Erin replied. “I meant to tell you about MK two weeks ago after we talked but things got so busy. Then she was calling and telling me when her plane was coming into Dulles. A friend picked her up but I told her where we keep the spare key. I also had to give her the alarm code so you can change that if you want.”

Only four people had the code to Dave’s house. He trusted those four people with his life. Mary Katherine Strauss was not someone who trusted. Erin might feel some type of way if he changed it, she might not, but he was probably going to change it.

“She says she's here to spend time with you.” Dave said.

“I honestly don’t know why she's here. I've racked my brain but MK is too much like me. She can keep something under the surface of her skin for the longest time.”

“She’s really not that much like you.”

“What do you mean?” Erin cuddled closer and Dave wrapped his arms tighter around her.

“Her Barbara Stanwyck sucks.” He replied.

“I think you get a kick out of my not knowing what the hell you're talking about.” She said.

“Sometimes.” Dave grinned. “It doesn’t matter. Its time to go to sleep; this long day needs to end.”

“Well Mary Kate’s going to be here until Sunday. I think she’ll spend Monday with her father and then take a plane out late Tuesday morning.”

“As long as she's in town then she’s welcome to stay here.”

“She hasn’t been kind to you over the years.” Erin said.

“Nope, but two wrongs don’t make a right. Why give her another reason to be bitter? She's your daughter, she's here to see you, and you live here. It’s simple enough for me. I’ll make us all breakfast in the morning just like I do when Ted’s here.”

“You are so amazing, do you know that?” she kissed him.

“As a matter of fact I do baby.”

“And you're modest too,” Erin laughed. “I think that’s why I love you the most.”

“I thought it was my amazing physique.” Dave replied.

“That’s a close second. Go to sleep, David; you have work in the morning.”

“Don’t rub it in.” he kissed her forehead. “Am I going to have to go the whole three days without…?”

“Get your mind out of the gutter.” Erin said.

“Its not in the gutter, it’s just…OK, it’s probably in the gutter. I love you too, Erin.”

“Goodnight.”

She closed her eyes and let her brain completely unwind. She really had no idea what her daughter was doing in town but if they could turn a page on their relationship, Erin would be happy to see that happen. She often wondered if being unable to reach Mary Kate had always been or if it just happened one day. There were times when her kids were growing up that work came before family. No mother, no parent, ever planned it that way; at least Erin never did.

She still did her best to always be there…sometimes she succeeded and sometimes she failed. Her three children had such vastly different personalities. She saw so much of her mother in Nora. Nora was smart, kind, and a pleasure to be around. She was the girl with all the friends who no one could say a bad thing about. It wasn’t a surprise that she led a successful and very happy life; all signs pointed to it when she was just a little girl.

Ted was the only son. He was an overachiever, a pleaser, a little bit of a mama’s boy. He was studious, athletic, with a winning smile, and a pleasant personality. In high school he got invited to every graduate party his classmates had. He had multiple offers to go to proms and dances. He was just ‘that guy’. He didn’t mind being him one bit.

MK was different. She wasn’t overly pleasant, though she was clearly brilliant. She was vain, as her mother could be. She was stubborn, fierce, and most would never describe her as nice. She was in no way a people person but had a handful of friends she would trust to the end of the earth and back. They felt the same way about her.

Maybe their similar personalities led to all the mother-daughter conflict. When Erin looked at MK, or wanted to smack her silly, she hoped no one ever looked at her and saw those unpleasant traits. The truth of the matter was that many people did. Seeing MK was like looking in a distorted funhouse mirror, as if Erin was seeing something through someone else’s eyes and not her own. The truth of the matter was that she would probably never have a real reason that she and her daughter weren't close like mothers and daughters on TV.

This wasn’t TV, it was real life, and people came into relationships with their own biases, conflicts, and assumptions. If Mary Kate wanted a close relationship, Erin would do her best to accommodate. She loved her child, brought her into the world and promised to make it a good life for her. She hardly knew Mary Kate well enough to know if it had been. This might be the opportunity she was waiting for to find out.

***

  



End file.
